San Jose Sharks: Make Room for More!

(Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)

1. Tampa Bay Lightning: Jeff Halpern makes $1 million less than Cheech and is a superior penalty-killing, checking-line centre. He would upgrade the Sharks defence and still be capable of putting up points, scoring 16 on a bad team in 2008-09. And because he is four years older than Cheech and playing for a team in rebuilding, the Sharks should be able to get a third-round choice, as well.
2. Toronto Maple Leafs: Perhaps former coach Ron Wilson would like to be reunited with his scorer, and Cheech should want to go play for a coach he knows much closer to home. The Sharks could land right wing Jamal Mayers and a second round pick. This move would clear up $1,666,667 in cap space while still giving them a gritty, defensive power forward who can kill penalties, lay wood on the opposition, and score in the teens.
3. Columbus Blue Jackets: Cheech would provide the Jackets with missing offence, and they can offer exactly what the Sharks need: Raffi Torres. Sharks fans will remember how Torres’ hit on Milan Michalek changed the Edmonton series, ending San Jose’s most promising playoff run. Torres is a couple years younger than Cheech and provides almost as much offence for $750,000 less, but he has struggled with injuries the past two seasons. Nonetheless, San Jose may have to give up a little extra to get this done. With the Jackets short on the blueline, adding Callahan or Groulx might be enough.
4. Edmonton Oilers: Ethan Moreau is beloved in Edmonton, but if the Sharks can pry him away, he provides the missing leadership and grit in a package with a guy who can score some points and costs $1 million less than Cheech. Because he is four years older than Jonathan, he should be attainable without giving up any picks, but if a mid-rounder (or minor leaguer who is not a huge prospect) has to be thrown in to make it happen, so be it.
5. Florida Panthers: Steven Reinprecht is another penalty-killing centre making $950,000 less than Cheech. Because Reinprecht is actually a year younger and scored more points, the Sharks would have to give something up to make this happen. However, whether that be prospects (Florida is in need of help on the blueline, so perhaps newly-signed Joe Callahan or Danny Groulx?) and/or draft picks, it is worth it to get a better player who costs less money.

In any of these trades, the Sharks clear enough money to get at least one more player under the cap plus getting Greiss in uniform. If the trigger were pulled on the trade with Toronto, San Jose’s active roster could be completed.

Moreover, with a more productive enforcer in the lineup, Shelley would become expendable. I would then move him for a more skilled or cheaper players.

But that would be just the first of more moves designed to make room for some emergency players in the press box for each game. In my next piece, I will outline the rest of the moves I would make to get the roster filled and the team under the cap.

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